Controlled power-operated laterally movable truck driver&#39;s seat



March 2, 1954 c WALSH 2,670,987

CONTROLLED POWER-OPERATED LATERALLY MOVABLE TRUCK DRIVER'S SEAT Filed Jan. 30, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 2, 1954 ALSH 2,670,987

C. F. W CONTROLLEDPOWER-OPERATED LATERALLY MOVABLE TRUCK DRIVER'S SEAT Filed Jan. 30, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ayww 4 March 2, 1954 c. F. WALSH CONTROLLED POWER-OPERATED LATERALLY MOVABLE TRUCK DRIVER'S SEAT 3 Sheets-Sheer. 3

Filed Jan. 30, 1952 II 'II II l Patented Mar. 2, 1954 CONTROLLED POWER-OPERATED LATER- ALLY MOVABLE TRUCK DRIVERS SEAT Clark F. Walsh, Nashua, Iowa Application January 30, 1952, Serial No. 268,944

My invention is concerned with a controlled laterally movable truck drivers seat in a truck or semi-trailer truck, wherein the cab is narrower than the cargo portion or trailer, and it is desirable to project the driver, while in a driving position, through an open doorway of the cab to enable him to properly see beyond the lateral limits of the cargo portion and control the vehicle while the latter is moving in a reverse di-' rection.

In the case of trucks or semi-trailers, the cargo portion is always considerably wider than the cab of the truck or prime mover. During the normal forward movement of the vehicle the driver is unable to have direct rear vision'because such is obstructed by the cargo body. A rear vision mirror which may project laterally from the cab can be used to indirectly observe conditions of the highway in rear of the truck or to indirectly observe vehicles which are overtaking or passing the truck, but the present invention is in no way concerned with this type of indirect rear vision. The problem which this invention is intended to solve is concerned when the driver is backing the truck to a loading dock or the like and requires direct vision of the path of movement.

truck, it is essential to accurately control the reverse movement of, the truck so as to bring the loading doors thereof in proper alignment with truck into an alley or through a gateway or in close proximity to other parked trucks and.

Because the cargo is generally. loaded and unloaded through rear doors of the.

5 Claims. (01. 296-65) portion of it mounted for lateral sliding move ment which when the door or the cab is open will carry the part of the seat upon which the driver sits to or near the edge of the truck or trailer body, whereby from his place on the'seat which has been so moved the driver can turn-his head backwardly and get a clear view of the ground and: buildings at the side and behind, the truck or trailer body and at the same time enable him to properly steer and control the movement of the truck. I have discovered further that to permit such lateral movement out and backthe seat must be supported to slide freely in a lateral direction, and there must be provided means such as pneumatic suction or pressure means or hydraulic. pressure means for efiecting such lateral move-.

' ment under the control of the operator and in relation to the closing and opening of the door.

draulic fluid, is introduced in one end of the cylin-.

in either condition it-is essential that the driver be able to accurately view the rearward move-" ment of the truck. For these purposes rear vision mirrors are of no value and it is a universalpractice for the driver to open his cab door and lean outwardly to have rear vision, although it is frequently a practice for him to stand or partially stand on the running board of the cab with one foot and his arms within the cab to steer and control the motive power of the truck. This practice is extremely dificult and often dangerous for it must be borne in mind that the truck is in motion, and numerous accidents have occurred through the control of the truck in this manner, either by way of the driver falling from the cab or having the cab door caught in an obstruction.

I. have discovered a way to remedy this very serious difiiculty by having the driver's seat or a To that end I propose to mount rigidly con.-,

nected to the motor vehicle framework and ex-' tending along the lateral direction of movement of the'seat a cylinder having therein a piston,

and extending through the cylinder and extending outside the ends thereof a piston rod, whichv piston rod will have its ends connected with the supporting means of the seat so when fluid, either suction or compressed .air or compressedhyder it will move the seat laterally in one direction and when such fluid .is introduced in the other end ofthe. cylinder it will move the cylinder back.

employed andpbewithin therscope of my invention. The transmission of fluid power means is, a practical and effective way of accomplishing the result'sought, but-I have found a preferred.

form of such fluid transmitting powerrneans to be the application of suction air movement, which, as in thepresent invention, does notrequire great or excessive power. Gas or electric motors and connections to the truck gas engine 7 also may be used.

toa closed position so that when the door ismoved in the closing direction, said member is Such an arrangement requires valve mechanism under the control of the operator for con-- necting the fluid from a source of supply to one side or the other of the piston and simultaneous- Any desired'efiective power application may be.

load and thereafter return the seat and driver within the cab.

It is an object of my inventionto provide in the cab of a motor vehicle which includes a truck or trailer of substantially greater width moved thereby, a seat for the driver, which may be a sectional part of the normal drivers seat, and which is mounted so as to slide readily ina lat: eral direction to take part of the seat through the d wa n h 430 h e n p n d 0 permit the operation, andv to take the driver h it s e can se rea d v ast h r n of the body of the truck or trailer and there-. after return the seat and driver to the cab.

It. is a further object of my invention to pros vide means operated by pneumatic-or hydraulic power to move the slidable seat with the driver thereon laterally to-project it through the space of the open door and to return it to normal position.

It is afurther object to provide in combination with. the power operated means, a control member carried by the movable seat through the open doorway of the cab, which will be in a position for engagement. by the door when the latter. is closed, so thatthe seat and driver canbe returned to the cab merely by closing the door.

Thefull objectsand advantagesof my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof given in theaccompanying specification and the novel features of the invention by whichthe aforesaid important and advantageous results are secured will be par.- ticularly pointed out in the claims,

In the d awings illustrating one form of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a side. elevation view oi-amotor vehicle power means and the front end of. an attached trailer.

F 2 i a fr t l ationv ew o the sa e showing the seat moved laterally through thedoor opening with the driver thereon to a point from which the driver, who is shownto be oc, curring t e seat and. i ing a tra l truc has a rear view or the. Side of the trail r or truck body and f he und l ng t side dsu roundings.

Fi 3 s a i oht ele t n iew of a valve mechanism including means for controlling fluidflow o an r t e means or er tin to move the seat and the driver thereon laterally.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional transverse view taken on ine 5 o 3- Fig, 6 is a sectional view of the means for mov n t e se a y.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line IF-T o Fi 6- Fi 8 is a se tio l e evat cnvie en 0 ine 6' f F g- 9.-

ie- 9 is a trans erse ec oha i take n in Q-Scf Fig- .8-

Fig. 10 is a sectional plan view taken on line Ill-16 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation view of the seat with the floor support and door in section.

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation view taken on line i2-i2 of Fig. 3.

As illustrated, Fig. 1 shows a trailer section l3 connected with a truck power section or prime mover 14, in which is mounted, but not shown, the customary gas motor and controlling mechanisms normally present in a motor driven device of that type.

The power section embodies a cab I5 with a windowed compartment enclosing the steering wheel l6 and other operating parts for the motor mechanism. A door ii on the left side of the cab opens outwardly, normally to give entrance to and from the cab compartment, but in my invention having an important function independent of mere entrance and exit requirements. I!- c m onracti e a 8 p si oned as shQW n igl ext hd a o s he: hamber W hin thea d is ad ted to eat th d ive a t e. left and any other person, as-a helper or even apassenger, at the right.

In the present form of my invention the seatmay be a single seat but as shown it is formed of two portions 58 and i9, 01 which the portion r e dly connected n e c b chamber and: the portion I8 is mounted for sliding movements. laterally, when door I! is open, as indicated at in Fig. 2.

The mounting. of seat. section 13 clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9, The back, 2! and seat part 22 are substantially standard exceptfor the seat section being shorter and being mount.-

ed to move laterally. As shown in Figs. 8,.9, l0-

. for the seat part 22.

Rigidly secured to the floor 32 of cab portion 15 area pair of channel beams 33 and 34 which have their. flanges turned toward each other.

Within the flanges of the channel beams 33 and Marc, other channel beams 35 and 36 set in parallel relationto channel beams 33 and 34' with their flanges underlying and overlying the respective flanges of the channel beams 33 21,116.34.

Mounted uponthe inside of channel beam 33 are a pair of spaced rollers 31 and 38, and-with-' in channel beam-34 are similar rollers 3.9 and Ml;

As shown in Fig. 9, these rollers engage the.

flanges. of. channel irfons -35 and The channels w nd at s seen in-E slmh verigidly secured thereto at one end upright angle iron members iii and 42 and at the other end similar upright angle iron members 43 and 44. Upright angles M and 42 are connected by a horizontal bar, and upright angles 53 and M by a correspondingly horizontalbar- 46, and up? rights 4!, 52, 43, 34, as shown'in Fig. 9, are connected to. seat frame members 21 and 28- The united seat is therefore mounted to besupported upon the movable channels 35, V35 and roll laterally along the sets of. rollers 31, 38 and 9,. 43, i depend ntly of the idly m n channels 33 and 3:1. Upon longitudinal chan: nelst3f and 35,5, as shownin Fig. 1.0. is rigidly mounted a cylinder 47 which has extending through it a piston rod 48, which piston rod is connected at 49 with the bar and is connected at its other end at 50 with the bar 46. This interior of cylinder 41 is shown on an enlarged scale and more in detail in Fig. 6, wherein it appears that within the cylinder 41 fast on piston rod 48 is a piston 5|.

As there shown, the chamber 52 within cylinder 4! is closed by an inwardly turned closure wall 53 which closely surrounds the piston rod 48, the latter being adapted to slid through said closure. The other end of chamber 52 is closed by a similar inwardly turned closure wall 54, which likewise surrounds the piston rod 48. ,A tube 55 is adapted to conduct air, preferably 'by suction, from chamber 52 at the right hand side (as shown in Fig. 6) of piston 5| and a similar tube 56 is adapted to conduct air by suction from chamber 52 on the opposite side of piston 5|.

It will be obvious that if it is desired to opcrate this arrangement hydraulically or with air under pressure, that can be done by connecting the pipes 55and 56 with a source of-supply of fluid under pressure. Other conventional power means carried by the prime mover, not shown, may be used to move the seat l8.

At the opposite ends of the cylinder 41 are a pair of bleeder openings 5'! and 58 for either admitting atmospheric air into the cylinder on opposite sides of the piston, or for draining compressed air or other fluid from the. cylinder, either to atmosphere or to a fluidsupply. In normal practice, where suction pressure from the engine manifold is used as the source of power, the bleeders can be omitted and suitable means of admitting atmospheric air through the alternate conduits 55 and 56 would be provided, such as the angular passages 59, 59a, in the member 10 and the corresponding openings 59?) and 59c in the casing 66, as seen in Fig. 6.

The valve arrangement which I employ is shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 12. It comprises a casting 60 which is bolted to a supporting plate 5| by bolts 5-2 and 63 and pins 64, 65.

' Casting 68 is provided with a semi-cylindrical extension member 66, which has a central bore 61 extending from its closed end 68 through the open end of th cylindrical opening, as indicated at 69; Y

' Within the bore 61 is a cylindrical member 10 which has its inner end H contacted by a compression spring 12 within the closed end 13 of the bore 6'! and which tends to move the cylindrical member 70 outwardly away from the closed end 13. i At its other end th cylindrical member IQ-has an abutment or button 18' which is adapted to' be engaged by plate |5 on door 11.

The semi-cylindrical member 68 is provided with an elongated slot 16 extending through its wall into the cylindrical opening 81. This slot is also carried through the plat 6|, as indicated at 11 in Fig. 3.

1 A pin 18 extends through the slot 16 and is embedded in the cylindrical member 78. This pin extends through a' transversely positioned slot of a lever 84 which is pivoted on bolt 62 and has an outwardly extended handle provided with a hand hold ball extremity 85.

The cylindrical member it is solid throughout its length except for two parallel openingsBl and 88, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and in fulllines in Fig. 5as to opening 81, and iri'Fig;

12'as-toopening88. V From adapter and 9|, threadedly' secured to member 66, the flexible tubes 55 and 56 ex tend to opposite ends of the cylinder 41. Adaptem 92 and 93 also secured to member 66 connect with flexible tubes 55 and 56' which are joined at a junction 89. The junction 89 may be connected to the intake manifold, not shOWn, of the truck engine when vacuum is used as the source of power, or to an air compressor or hydraulic fluid system if the latter are used. In the event that a hydraulic fluid is used, return tubing would extend from the bleeder openings. 51, 58 at the opposite ends of the cylinder back: to a fluid reservoir.

The operation of the invention will now be explained. Initially it should be understood that this invention is applicable to commercial or cargo carrying vehicles in which the cargo carry.- ing portion is of greater width than the cab por-- tion, and that the invention is concerned with projecting and returning the driver on a safe and comfortable seat for a distance suflicient to enable him to properly steer the vehicle in revers movement. The difierence in width be-, tween the cab and the cargo body will diifer with.

. different makes of trucks, and therefore the ex tent of movement of the seat and driver may vary and can be controlled by the length of piston rod 48 and. the range of movement of piston 5|. However, the extent of movement of the seat should not be so great that the drivers feet are taken away from the usual control pedals. Therefore in the instance of the widest truck bodies, the extent of movement of th seat will be in the order of about one-half of the difference in width between the cab and the truck body, while in trucks having narrower bodies, the seat may be projected for a distance substantially equal to the difference in width of the cab and cargo portions of the truck. 7

Assuming now that the driver wishes to reverse his truck through a narrow passage, or to a loading dock, he sets the driving mechanism of the truck in reverse and then opens th cab door I! because it is essential in steering the truck in reverse that he directly see the path through which his vehicle will move, and as explained heretofore, rear vision mirrors projecting laterally from the side of the cab are useless for this purpose. To be able to see along the side of the truck the driver moves the valve handle 84 to the right, as seen in Fig. 3, thereby bringing the passage 88 in register with adapters SI, 93 to permit the moving fluid, as for example suction pressure, to pass through the conduits 55, 55'. This action draws air from the right hand side of piston 5|, as seen in Fig. 6, thereby creating a partial vacuum on the right hand side of the piston. Air i drawn into cylinder 41 through'the conduit 56 through the opening 59; to move the piston 5| through the pressure diff-f ferential. Movement of the piston to the right of the cylinder projects the seat l8 through the open door I? for a distance sufiicient to permit the driver to be able to see the area adjacent the left hand side of the truck and properly steer the back end of the truck to the loading dock. The seat may be retracted within th cabby moving lever 84 to the left, as seen in Fig. 3, but if during the period that the seat is in its ex--' tended position and the door isstill open, an obstruction appears which would flikely cause collision with the door, the driver need merely pull the. door inwardly in its closing position. In so moving the door engages the button 'wflthereby moving member 10 to, the left to bring the: passage 89 in: register with. th&-CQHdl1fi S 5t; 55 1. This: closes: offi passage as anal pan sagetherebycausihgl thepistonzi fil and piston: flitoimove tmtllelefilas seen; Elia: 3; to; draw thexseat'. and? the driven thereon; hack; into: the cab In practioatheseatimoves rapidlyrandi is: substantially-instantly drawm into the cab; and: into its normal position. Thereforathe seatcmase be returnedihy themere. closing of'door H, which man: be; important: under emergency; conditions; since: the button lull! is: always in: a; position to: accomplish this: action: when the-door opierr andf the seat is in its extended positiom.

Fromx the: abovedoscriptionl the. purpose and advantages of? my. invention"; will appear: alcove pointer out, the primary-punpose: and this mason adi'antage ofthepractihe; of: my imientiom consists im moving theldriverwhileihexisiimaidrin ing-positionxtoa position through theiopem door way-of; the oahiwhere he can; see past theiwider' truck: or trailer, and at the. same time. having: his feet anoi arms im a: position; to: provide, propel: operation of the control elements of the-.motorr truck; Merely to. move the. seat laterally.- for: adjusting its-position would: be: valuelessz; It; is; actually the moving: of the driver into. apositiorr where. he can see what he isdoing indriving-the' truclin: reverse whichi's: important.

Ar further greatadvantage. of. myinvention comes: from. the simple. mountingof the seatwl lich supports it: upon. four spaced freely rotatiingirollers so that, even with the heavy weight or the driver added: to that. of? the seat. very-little power is. required: to move: the. driver into. the position. WhBIZQ': he is partiallyzoutsideoi the calla.

Folaimr 1 In: motor-truck; combination; a. cargo? body; a prime mover-and driverscah-oonnectede to the front end of the cargo bodwsaidfcahiboing? mbstantially' narrower; in width than. the: cargo body; and hating a l'aterall opening thereirr. forming entrance for the driver; a driverjs: seat. at telescopic support within thecab: consisting? of a: paw of laterallyextending tracks rigidly connest ed to the drivers seat, laterally. exteirrlil'lg.

guide meansintercomlectedi with. the tracks :gicllyconneoted tothe cab, said? tracks being: laterallymovalilovuitlr respeotwto' said guidameans and being ofa length to-project'the dlflY3:S;S8EfiT through the opening in the cab; for a distances substantially equal co-half thedifierenoeinlwidfin between: the cab and the cargo: bodyto support the driver in; normali driving: position at least: partially outside of;- the calm for: steering: the-truck:

revers movement; drivingrmemlier carried;

y the caland operably 'conneoterlitm the; second? pair" or tracks; and? control: means conneotedi bee-- tweerr portion of the: prime mover: andtherdriv log member controlling the lateral, movement; of: thaclrisers seat 1 2;. Ime; motor;-truclr;v itr. combination, a. cargo body; an; engine: and; clrivers: cab connected to, theiirontend: of the; cargo body said. cab; being. substamially" narrower. in width. than the cargo and having a lateral; opening therein. formingan; entrance; forth-e,- driver; a; door normally closing: said opening, adrivers. seat within the a telescopic support-. within; the can consist-- ingzofia stationary member and a laterally mow-- able memberin which: the seat. is. attached; and which on movement projects the driversiseat' in; ziilats'rali ri'irection only through the. opening'irrl themes for a substantial; distance for support-:- mg thedriver in l ainorma'l: position at: least par lilallp'outside or? thezoab foirstceringgthe tnuclo hicle; having: controls-t locates in; aforward can:

pontiom which is: of; smaller; transverse: dimenssions. than. to rearward: cargo portioni comprise ing, combinatiom': a1 seat. section forsupporte ing the driver of; said; vehicle; in-.- a. position; cone 5 tenientz to: the controls; thereon and adiacenti. as

doorway in said. cab: portion; means mounting; sairllseatz sectionadl'acent: said. doorwayfor, solely; lateral; Increment. between, a normal extreme: position; which, said seat; seotiom isl wholly s withim said; cab; portion,, and}. at. second extreme position; in which said; seat; section: is. projected: externally.- oi? said; QEbKIJQItiOH' through; said door-- was; the: range: of; said; movement being; ofi the same order" as one-half: the. difference; between:

the, transverse: dimensions 01-: said cargo. portion:

and said cab portiom. reversible power means; connected to. said seat portion, for: causing said lateral movement; and control; means connected: to: said; power means and operable to: determine: the: extent; and: direction, of said. movement so; that; a; driver: supportediby saidseat. section; at? be; carriedinto: a position iniwhichzhelhasa clean or the; space besideand: to; the rearof. said; nail-go. portion; while,- remaining; seated. in stable relation to;- the: controls; of; saidi vehicle.

42. In; a. motor: truck, in! combination, a cargo. body, a. prime; moves and: drivers cab. connected-1 tm thafront-end ofjthezoargdbocly, saiclzcahlbeing; sllhstantially narrower i111 width; than! the: cargo body, and. having a lateral opening: thereimiomnw ing an. entrance; for the driver; a drivers. seat within: the: can, a. telescopic, support: within. the; cab, consisting of. a: stationary memben and; at laterally movable. member to;- which; the seat; is; attached anok which; on movement projects the seaitin: adateral direction; only through th e; open ing; in: the; cab for as.ubstai'ltia-l. distance.- for: saoponting the'dniver in. a; normal. driving, posie tion at least partially outside of the cab for steer.

- ing the touch, in. reverse; movement, a cylinder supported by the; stationaryvmember of, the, tellersoooic support a pistorr within. said cylinden, al piston rod carriedl by the cylinderv and: opera timely connected to the. piston. and the: laterally movable member of the telescopic support, means.

' as. prime.- mover; including a; drivers cabadaptedl torconneotionto the. front endof a cargo-body which of substantially: greater width than the dri erFs: cab; said cab having; a lateral openingv therein forming; an; entrance. for: the. driver a, doorcarriecl by thes-ca'b and normally-closing said opening a, drivers. seat, within; the cab; a. tele-- soopioa support wit 'n; the cab consisting; of.- a. stationary portion and a laterally movable: por tion supported on the stationariz; Qontiomandtm which: the: seat; is; attached;, which on: movement projects the seat in a lateral direction only through the opening in the cab for a substantial distance to support the driver in a normal driving position at least partially outside of the cab where h has a clear view of the space beside and to the rear end of the cargo portion while remaining seated in stable relation on the seat for steering and controlling the vehicle in revers movement, a cylinder supported by the stationary portion of the telescopic support, a piston within the cylinder, a piston rod carried by the cylinder and operatively connected to the piston and the laterally movable portion of the telescopic support, means forming a source of pneumatic suction power carried by the prime mover, a two-position valve carried by the movable portion of the telescopic support and operatively connected between the means forming the source of suction power and the cylinder on opposite sides of the piston, and which when moved to one of its positions eifects lateral movement of the seat through the opening in the cab when the door is in an open position with respect thereto, and a member operatively connected to the valv and projecting outwardly from the seat and which is adapted for engagement by the door when the latter is moved. to its normally closed position for moving the valve to its other position to return the seat Within the cab.

CLARK F. WALSH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

